First pool table - Relevel or wait

[Scrif]

Just bought my first pool table - Invitation by Canada Billiards - got it Tuesday. Been playing on it and have noticed a slight drift on one side. Using a carpenters level (I know, not the best choice) it appears to be about a 16th of an inch low on that side which would explain the drift in toward the rails.

The table sits on new carpet. We had the basement reno'd over the summer so the carpet is only about 4 months old. It is a thick pile with standard underlay.

I want to call the place where I bought it from and have them come and relevel. My fear is that because it was just installed, coupled with the fact that it is sitting on thick carpet, that it will settle more and I'll be calling them again.

The drift doesn't happen a firm shot, but if I do a soft end rail to end rail shot I really notice it.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Corwyn_8]

Playing on an unlevel table is very frustrating IME, I would level it now. Carpet should have experienced most, if not all of its settling, given the hundreds of pounds on it.

A carpenter's level is insufficient to level a table, but if it is reading off (in both directions), that is plenty to know the table is off. Consider buying a used machinist's level, which you can then sell for what you paid for it after you are done, if you want to level the table yourself.

Thank you kindly.

 

[Scrif]

Thanks for replying. The table has leg levelers and I don't have terrific faith in the installers so was considering doing it myself (with some help of course). I read a few posts about doing it. Just not sure I want to try it and risk causing any more issues.

 

[GoldCrown]

Thanks for replying. The table has leg levelers and I don't have terrific faith in the installers so was considering doing it myself (with some help of course). I read a few posts about doing it. Just not sure I want to try it and risk causing any more issues.

From my experience most table mechanics are hackers or inexperienced. If they come back you'll get the same job they did the 1st time. If you can't work it out on your own ask around for best most knowledgeable techs in your area or maybe you can get a recommendation here on Azb. I did.

 

[app4dstn]

i bought my table used and put it together myself in my basement. the "carpet" in there is old, bare-thin dog-scratched entry level stuff you find in a college dorm.

what i found was that the area beyond the perimeter of the feet, say maybe going 6-12 inches out from the edge... those fibers changed over a course of the first few weeks, and at that point i saw the first deviation from the initial leveling. when it's first put into place, you can see and feel the depression start to develop. and i thought that after maybe 7 days, it had reached its equilibrium.

my hunch is that as you play, when you take a stance near one of the feet, that pressure in the zone where the underneath fibers are at a tension that's already higher than elsewhere because of the table causes the next stage of carpet stretching. it surprised me because i thought the carpet was so bare thin that it would be fully stretched within hours of putting the slate up... i figured 24 hours was enough to let it settle.

when i redid the leveling a year later, i was tempted to move my table a few inches, but decided not to.

each and every "development" gives me another opportunity to analyze, learn something, and to appreciate what it "costs" to get that next/better level of performance out of your table.

with your new carpet, especially being nice and thick, i'd wait. and walk around it a lot before investing in the re level, whether you do it yourself or hire someone. i'd think any effort beforehand could be a waste.

 

[Scrif]

Update - So I hired a 'mechanic' to come re-level my table. He has 15 years experience and seemed to know his stuff. The original installers used business cards and a carpenters level. The new guy pulled out the biz cards and used wood shims and a machinist level. After much shimming and level checking he deduced that that the end slates (it's a 3 piece slate table) seemed to be high in the middle - naturally - meaning without any shimming, be it by biz card or wood, the slates highest point is in the middle and slopes down to the edges.

He did a pretty good job of getting the drift removed. There is still a 'slight' drift, but it's way better than the leveling of the original installers.

I guess my updated question is:

Will it ever be perfect? Should I expect it to be perfect? This is a home table, and I love playing on it, and since playing on it after the 'mechanic' did his leveling I am pretty satisfied. Am I being too picky by shooting a ball from end to end 'slowly' and noticing the drift? I rarely, if ever, shoot that light.

Thanks!

 

[Skippy27]

Will it ever be perfect? Should I expect it to be perfect?!

Probably not.

 

[TX Poolnut]

To save your carpet and help keep the table level, try this idea.

Using 1/4 inch plywood, make four small round pedestals for the table to eventually rest on. Drill several screws through each of the plywood pedestals so that plenty of the screw is sticking out. Put them business end down into your carpet, all the way to the foundation. The table will be raised exactly as long as the screws are so buy screws accordingly. Set the table on top of the plywood. Glen gets credit for this good idea.

 

[stutz]

Brand new table and the slate is high in the middle and slopes to the sides? Sounds like the slate is crowned. I'd want the manufacturer to replace it

 

[whatevrdoumean]

I had the same problem when I got my table. It is in the basement on a thicker carpet. On the 3rd time coming out to relevel the mechanic went to the hardware store and got a piece of oak that was 1/2 inch thick. He cut it into 8x8 squares. He placed them under the feet of the table. Leveled it again and said in 6 months to call for a relevel job. After the 6 months I call him to come back out. With the weight of table on the carpet the oak squares sit just a hair taller than the top of carpet. It sunk down that much. He relevel it again. It's been 2 years know and just had new felt put on. Before he started the refelt job for sh t and giggles he checked it for level and it still was. It worked for me so you might want to try it too. Michael

 

[JaguarXFR]

Update - So I hired a 'mechanic' to come re-level my table. He has 15 years experience and seemed to know his stuff. The original installers used business cards and a carpenters level. The new guy pulled out the biz cards and used wood shims and a machinist level. After much shimming and level checking he deduced that that the end slates (it's a 3 piece slate table) seemed to be high in the middle - naturally - meaning without any shimming, be it by biz card or wood, the slates highest point is in the middle and slopes down to the edges.

He did a pretty good job of getting the drift removed. There is still a 'slight' drift, but it's way better than the leveling of the original installers.

I guess my updated question is:

Will it ever be perfect? Should I expect it to be perfect? This is a home table, and I love playing on it, and since playing on it after the 'mechanic' did his leveling I am pretty satisfied. Am I being too picky by shooting a ball from end to end 'slowly' and noticing the drift? I rarely, if ever, shoot that light.

Thanks!

Its brand new...it should be perfect enough that you can't tell any imperfections.... If the slate is high in the middle then its crowned which means you have to bring the sides up and bend the slate back (yes slate will bend some, thats how it warps in the first place)...Im suprised your mechanic couldnt bring the sides up enough to even it out...

Either get them to replace the slate or try and bend the sides up so thats its level...it can break if you try to bend it too much, but thats the sellers fault because they should be able to sell you a new table that is level...

 

[pdcue]

Update - So I hired a 'mechanic' to come re-level my table. He has 15 years experience and seemed to know his stuff. The original installers used business cards and a carpenters level. The new guy pulled out the biz cards and used wood shims and a machinist level. After much shimming and level checking he deduced that that the end slates (it's a 3 piece slate table) seemed to be high in the middle - naturally - meaning without any shimming, be it by biz card or wood, the slates highest point is in the middle and slopes down to the edges.

He did a pretty good job of getting the drift removed. There is still a 'slight' drift, but it's way better than the leveling of the original installers.

I guess my updated question is:

Will it ever be perfect? Should I expect it to be perfect? This is a home table, and I love playing on it, and since playing on it after the 'mechanic' did his leveling I am pretty satisfied. Am I being too picky by shooting a ball from end to end 'slowly' and noticing the drift? I rarely, if ever, shoot that light.

Thanks!

Back in the good old days - this was not uncommon. Unfortunately, the only fix that will
fix it is to drill a hole thru the slate in the center right at the seam, drive in a # 12 flat head wood screw
and tighten to "bend" it down in the middle...

OR, replace that section of slate. Prob is, with that table, chances are the new slate will be just
as bad as the one you have.

Dale

 

[Scrif]

Thanks for all the advice.

I should have mentioned that the 'mechanic' did say that the slate did crown and he did his best to get it to level out. With this particular table (Canada Billiards Invitation) the slate is 3 piece with screw downs on the perimeter - none in the middle. It's not one of their high end models.

I'm kind of torn on whether I want to go down the path of 'give me new slate under warranty' because I'd be dealing with the dealer (not the mechanic) and end up going back and forth for potentially months with getting this table to be 'perfect'.

After the mechanic came and did his work I was pretty happy with the drift. It's not perfect but I don't notice it in regular play - and I play 2-3 hours per day minimum.

 

[JaguarXFR]

Thanks for all the advice.

I should have mentioned that the 'mechanic' did say that the slate did crown and he did his best to get it to level out. With this particular table (Canada Billiards Invitation) the slate is 3 piece with screw downs on the perimeter - none in the middle. It's not one of their high end models.

I'm kind of torn on whether I want to go down the path of 'give me new slate under warranty' because I'd be dealing with the dealer (not the mechanic) and end up going back and forth for potentially months with getting this table to be 'perfect'.

After the mechanic came and did his work I was pretty happy with the drift. It's not perfect but I don't notice it in regular play - and I play 2-3 hours per day minimum.

So just use it as it is while you pursue getting them to replace the slate... tell them that when they deliver the new slate, they can pick up the old slate at the same time....you won't be down long at all with that scenario...

or do as the previous poster said and drill a hole through the middle area of the slate and screw it down to the base...

 

[realkingcobra]

Update - So I hired a 'mechanic' to come re-level my table. He has 15 years experience and seemed to know his stuff. The original installers used business cards and a carpenters level. The new guy pulled out the biz cards and used wood shims and a machinist level. After much shimming and level checking he deduced that that the end slates (it's a 3 piece slate table) seemed to be high in the middle - naturally - meaning without any shimming, be it by biz card or wood, the slates highest point is in the middle and slopes down to the edges.

He did a pretty good job of getting the drift removed. There is still a 'slight' drift, but it's way better than the leveling of the original installers.

I guess my updated question is:

Will it ever be perfect? Should I expect it to be perfect? This is a home table, and I love playing on it, and since playing on it after the 'mechanic' did his leveling I am pretty satisfied. Am I being too picky by shooting a ball from end to end 'slowly' and noticing the drift? I rarely, if ever, shoot that light.

Thanks!

Leveling the frame of the table does nothing to level the slates to a flat plane on the frame.

 

[trob]

Leveling the frame of the table does nothing to level the slates to a flat plane on the frame.

sounds like he also bought a cheap table and is upset that he got cheap results. I've never heard of the company who made the table..

 

[Saturated Fats]

Why would this work?

I had the same problem when I got my table. It is in the basement on a thicker carpet. On the 3rd time coming out to relevel the mechanic went to the hardware store and got a piece of oak that was 1/2 inch thick. He cut it into 8x8 squares. He placed them under the feet of the table. Leveled it again and said in 6 months to call for a relevel job. After the 6 months I call him to come back out. With the weight of table on the carpet the oak squares sit just a hair taller than the top of carpet. It sunk down that much. He relevel it again. It's been 2 years know and just had new felt put on. Before he started the refelt job for sh t and giggles he checked it for level and it still was. It worked for me so you might want to try it too. Michael

Why would the oak pieces help keep the table level any more than the table feet?

 

[Scrif]

sounds like he also bought a cheap table and is upset that he got cheap results. I've never heard of the company who made the table..

Thanks troll...er, I mean trob, for offering nothing constructive to this thread and for your evaluation of my emotional state regarding my purchase. Gold star, champ!

"I've never heard of the company who made the table" Use google. Everyone else does. The world is a big place.

 

[realkingcobra]

Just bought my first pool table - Invitation by Canada Billiards - got it Tuesday. Been playing on it and have noticed a slight drift on one side. Using a carpenters level (I know, not the best choice) it appears to be about a 16th of an inch low on that side which would explain the drift in toward the rails.

The table sits on new carpet. We had the basement reno'd over the summer so the carpet is only about 4 months old. It is a thick pile with standard underlay.

I want to call the place where I bought it from and have them come and relevel. My fear is that because it was just installed, coupled with the fact that it is sitting on thick carpet, that it will settle more and I'll be calling them again.

The drift doesn't happen a firm shot, but if I do a soft end rail to end rail shot I really notice it.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

You don't need anything placed on the floor under the feet in order to level your table on carpeting, it'll compress the carpet enough with the leg levelers it cam with to level the table with no other problems, but yes it's going to require a re level after a few weeks so the company that sold you the table should at least get the first shot at frame leveling your table. But as I said already, frame level is only one part of leveling the slates, the rest of the leveling has to be done between the slates and the frame....or it won't matter how many times the frame gets leveled....I'd the slates are not leveled as well.